Sometimes we feel as though our kids take years off our lives but according to a new study, the reverse could actually be true.

 

While we have often heard that starting a family at a younger age is ideal, many women choose to delay having a family due to financial, career or personal reasons.

 

As it turns out, having a child in your 30s could have one major benefit – increasing your chances of living longer.

 

Researchers from Coimbra University in Portugal compared the life expectancies of mothers in European countries at 65 to the age they were when they started having kids.
 

The key finding of their research was that mums who gave birth later tended to have a longer life expectancy than those who gave birth in their teens and 20s.

 

“The most relevant result shows that women tend to live longer the older they are when they get pregnant (in particular, for the first child),” the report revealed.

 

 

“There are several determinant factors of women’s life expectancy. The most surprising factor is the age of women at pregnancy, which may provide evidence to promote pregnancy in the early 30s”.

 

This is backed up by another study, published in the journal Menopause which found that women who had their last child at age 33 or older were more likely to be genetically predisposed to longevity than younger mums.

 

This study focused on the age at which mums had their last child rather than their first.

 

They found quite a significant difference in longevity, women who had their last child after the age of 33 doubled their chances of living to age 95 or older compared with women whose last child was born before their 30th birthday.

 

According to researchers, being able to reproduce at an older age is an indication that the body is aging slowly and can be a predictor of overall longevity.

 

 

While the findings are very interesting, researchers haven’t managed to determine what exactly links having a baby at an older age to longevity. It’s possible lifestyle, genetic and financial factors may all play a part also.

 

Researchers stress that having a child at 33 or older will not necessarily result in you living longer and that if you are hoping to have a family, it’s best to not to postpone it for too long.

 

What do you think mums?

Latest

Trending